Vintage Fashion: How to Rock a 70s Vibe

By Chere Di Boscio

It was a time of crazy glamour, sexual freedom, and perhaps most of all, incredible style. The floppy hats, perilous platforms, tuxedo jacket detailing and flowing, robe-like gowns as seen on Hedi Slimane’s previous Saint Laurent collections are all direct references to the 1970s designs of his predecessor, Yves St Laurent, who was one of the kings of nightlife at the time, along with Andy Warhol, Sylvester Stallone and Mick Jagger.

So hip was that decade that many mainstream shops today, including Liberty of London, Topshop and Yoox, are now selling original couture pieces from the 70s–and they sell out fast!

The 70s lasted a full ten years, of course, so there’s a whole range of styles that formed that decade. But some are now iconic and have defined the era.

Here’s what to look for to get a modern vintage 70s look:

Chunky jewellery

Platform shoes

Mutton chop sleeves

Bell-bottom jeans

Exotic skin bags

Fur collars and shrugs

Knee-length boots

Sheer blouses

Chiffon neck scarves and pussy bows

Maxi dresses

Floppy hats

These qualities are shown in the rare treasures below, for example, which come mainly from vintage Valentino and YSL collections, but other labels that exemplified the time include Givenchy, Biba and Ossie Clark, all of which are now so rare and coveted that prices are higher than they ever were originally.

And why not? With maxi dresses and Brigitte Bardot hats dominating runways, demand for the originals is clearly high, but of course plenty of modern designers, from Stella McCartney and her midi denim skirts to the eco friendly label The Reformation are riffing on 70s silhouettes .

With its sequined evening wear, sexy boots and platform shoes, 70s vintage will always be a look that’s favoured by rock chicks, boho hippies as well as disco divas. In fact, the likes of Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Miranda Kerr are always after a bit of the style that made Jerry Hall and Jean Shrimpton so sexy–and with more vintage stores popping up online and designers bringing the 70s to their collections, you can have a piece of the look too.